HONG KONG (SE): During the full dine-in ban on restaurants imposed by the government from July 29 to 30 to slow the third wave of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), many churches and Caritas centres were open to provide people a place to eat at lunch time.
Churches that were open to the public included Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, Wan Chai; Mother of Good Counsel parish, San Po Kong; and St. Andrew’s parish, Tseung Kwan O, as well as some Protestant churches.
While some more parishes were considering opening their doors to diners, the government lifted the ban on the evening of July 30 due to the inconvenience caused by the policy for employees who worked outdoors and had no place to have lunch.
Anna Yen Lau-fan, senior social work supervisor of Caritas Community Centre, Caine Road, recalled that some cleaning workers told her that they had no place to eat and might resort to eating at refuse collection centres. So the Caine Road centre was opened for diners on the first day of the ban.
Other Caritas centres open for dining in at lunch and dinner time were in Kennedy Town, Aberdeen, Stanley, Lai Chi Kok, Prince Edward, To Kwa Wan, Tai Wai and Tsuen Wan.
Yen said the community centre on Caine Road could accommodate 10 people at lunch at most. According to her, five people used the service on the first day of the ban, and on the second day, eight. Around 20 people went to the Tsuen Wan centre.
People entering the centres were required to have temperature checks, fill in health declaration forms and sanitise their hands. Due to limited space, reservations had to be made in advance by phone.
While restaurant dining was allowed at breakfast and lunchtime on July 31, Yen said some centres were still open for people up to August 1.
